


Beggars

by EmyBunny



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, F/M, Fluff and Angst, bandit hunting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-19
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-20 19:08:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10668960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmyBunny/pseuds/EmyBunny
Summary: Aloy was four when he found her. They were both left for dead, but against all odds, they survived with the help of the other. Now years later, they have made a vow to forever stick together. They travel across the world and back, reaping bandit camps and slaying all who endanger innocent lives. It feels as if they have been interwoven in fate.But their bond is threatened when they stumble upon a bandit camp that turns out to not be what it seems. As a new world is branched out for Aloy, their goals begin to shift, giving way to new doubts. Maybe they weren't so fated to be together.





	1. Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> An AU that my friend and I were joking about, but I took it a step further and started writing it. Whoops. Shenanigans will ensue.  
>  Title is from the song _Beggars_ by Krewella.
> 
> _This one is for the fucked up, chewed up, spit out, stepped on. No luck, no fucks, tough love, half blood. Stripped down, beat down, blacked-out, choking. No sound, no crowd, burnt up, broken._
> 
> __
> 
> _This one is for the beggars._
> 
> __

Erend met her in passing. She was a wild spirit with even wilder hair, eyes sharp like that of a Sawtooth’s. She walked like someone who expected to be attacked at any moment, her body tense, as if she were a bowstring pulled back too tight, ready to spring forward. He almost expected her to growl at those who spoke to her, spitting their opinions on her as if she were a wild animal that had wandered into their city.

When he approached her, her bright hazel eyes met his with conjecture. She stood before him with a sort of confidence that came from a well-trained killer, someone who knew that she could tear his throat out with her teeth if she wished.

He asked if he could help her, having guessed that the city was new to her. Her lips pulled up into a disagreeing snarl, nose wrinkling with disapproval. Still, he offered her a smile.

She gave him her curt answer, telling him that she could find what she was looking for without his help. He insisted and she sneered like a cautious beast. But after a moment, she relented. She told him she needed to find someone who sold medicine.

When he asked her if she was injured, she did not answer. He led her to a seller anyway, the two of them winding through the streets. He watched as she avoided touching those who breezed past her, eyes flickering everywhere as if she were searching for some threat.

He attempted to make easy conversation, but she stayed silent, only sending him glares when she wasn’t searching for danger. He still kept his easy smile, hoping that it would eventually ease her uncomfortable nature.

They made it to the merchant and she was quick to rush forward, demanding to know if he had medicines for a broken leg. The merchant told her that was not an easy fix, confused by her assumption that a potion or salve could fix such a thing.

Erend looked down at her with a frown. “Is someone you know hurt?”

Finally, she looked at him with something other than hostility, but it only lasted for a moment. She gave a curt nod. He insisted that they find a medic, to which she quickly objected to, her words sharp and almost panicked.

With a sigh, he demanded that the merchant give her supplies that would help with a broken leg. Carefully, he asked her about the details of the injury, to which she supplied. Once she was given the things she needed, Erend paid for her, much to her genuine surprise.

“I have plenty of shards,” she protested.

He only shook his head with a smile. “Consider it a good deed.”

She gave him an odd look before rushing off, without a single farewell or thanks. He watched her leave with raised eyebrows, intrigued with her peculiar nature. He reminded himself to tell his sister about her later that evening.

He wished he had asked for her name.

 

* * *

 

Aloy had been terribly nervous to enter the city of Meridian, having only heard bad things about the extravagant place. Yet she needed something that she could not find in the wilds where she roamed alongside her companion. A companion who had taken a nasty fall, breaking his leg. It had been ugly; the bone having protruded from his skin. She had reset it as he had instructed, but it was far too nasty to leave without further assistance.

He had objected, but she snuck off while he was asleep.

Once within the city, she found herself feeling as if she were cornered by every person who dared to look at her. Did she really look that strange? Perhaps. That wasn’t the main concern, though.

That was when _he_ approached her. His smile made her stomach tangle into knots and she responded with an unfriendly look. He seemed to not pick up the hint, instead insisting that he help her. She gave in only because she _did_ need the help.

She found he was far nicer than she had expected when he bought the supplies she needed, despite the fact that she had plenty of shards to pay for it all. It instantly made her feel uncomfortable, fearing that he would see the flush of her cheeks or notice the way she briefly took in his features, storing them into memory. She darted off before any further conversation could bloom.

When she returned to her camp, she found her companion still unconscious. She rushed to him, laying out the supplies that had been given to her. Her eyes scanned then meticulously, storing information about each object.

She tried not to wake him as she worked on his leg, carefully cleaning the wound where his bone had previously been sticking out. He woke regardless, most likely from the pain of her touch, despite her delicacy.

“Aloy,” he breathed and her eyes flickered up to meet his. He was deathly pale, despite the natural tan of his skin. He looked feverish too. “Where did you go?”

She swallowed hard. “I went to Meridian.”

The answer was curt and simple, but it left room for an argument she did not want to have. He had warned her about going into towns, telling her how it wasn’t their place to be around people. They were to save them, but interact as little as possible. No one was of large importance to them. Only the thrill of the hunt and the feeling of satisfaction when they ghosted into bandit camps and cleared them for survivors.

He looked at her with a frown, yet stayed quiet for some time as she tended to his leg. She put her focus into that, doing exactly as the merchant had suggested. Their travels would be slow from now on, she knew, but not as slow as it would have been if she had not gotten these tools.

Once she finished fastening the brace into place, she looked up at him to find that he was examining her. He reached out and his fingertips brushed along her jaw. She leaned into his affections, her eyes flickering across his face.

“One day you’re going to leave me,” he said.

She shook her head. “No, Nil. I will never leave you. It’s just us. Remember? Two lone wolves.” Placing her hand over his, she pressed her cheek against his palm.

He chuckled. “There is not enough death in this world to pacify your curiosity, Aloy. Eventually you will roam.”

“And I expect you to follow me,” she said in return. “And if you don’t, then I will put you down like a dog. Because what good are you to me if you are not by my side?”

A smirk grew on his face, showing off his teeth. “I would look forward to dying by your blade. It would be a pleasure to know I raised you to be strong enough to take me down.”

She forced a gentle laugh that was almost sad. Grabbing his blanket, she pulled it over him. “But for now, you need rest. I promise to not slit your throat while you sleep.”

“Aw,” he teased. “What a shame.”

“Shut up.” She shook her head. “Rest.”

It didn’t take much further convincing before he fell asleep and she moved to what had previously been their fire, now only coals. She sat more wood onto it and built up new flames as the sky grew dark. It was going to be a very long night, she knew. She would have to watch for machines while Nil slept.

She sat beside the fire, her gaze searching the surrounding forest. Her thoughts trailed off to the man she had met earlier that evening. He had been kind to her despite her rude behavior. She thought it would have scared him off, but it hadn’t. What a strange man.

Glancing over at Nil, she gave a quiet sigh. He was right, of course. She was a curious soul, but she had grown up with no one but him. He had taken her in as a child, when her previous guardian had died. He had been not much older than she was now when he had found her.

He had once told her that he had had a little sister. She had become her replacement, in a way. She was aware of that, despite the fact that he had never outright said it. He kept her safe and that was all that mattered.

With him, she would stay. No matter how curious she got about the others in her world. She would especially try to forget of the man she had met today.


	2. Bother

Aloy spun a blade in her fingers, her lips twisted to the side as she looked over the map on the table beside her. Nil knew that she was scanning the withered and inked blotted canvas into the device that was situated above her right ear. She was leaning on the table in a position that indicated boredom, if one didn’t know her well. To him she was a well-oiled machine that could jump into action within a moment’s notice.

He knew exactly how fast her reflexes were and he constantly tested them. Perhaps it was to irritate her just as much as it was to see how she would react.

He was tempted to bother her now, while watching her with his naturally narrowed eyes. The two of them had stopped by a camp of merchants, on the outskirts of the Maizelands. It was far from any Meridian villages, leaving their small party to go unheard. Usually they did not make camp with others and they would most likely not stay with these travelers through the night.

They were simply here to gather information.

It was easy to ask around about any possible bandit camps that had popped up. Especially when there were plenty scums of the earth to spread around. They would never clear enough camps, kill enough people. They were there to purge the filth and that was what they would do until they died. It was their vow to each other.

Aloy always liked it when they stopped with merchants or travelers, though she would never admit it. She didn’t have to; Nil could see the light that popped into her eyes, like how it did when she had a bandit under her boot, an arrow trained at their head. She seemed glacial to outsiders, yet Nil knew her as anything but. He knew his girl was a livewire ready to spark.

“Nil,” she said, breaking him from his thoughts of tormenting her. When he refocused his attention, he realized she was narrowly staring at him. “It’s a two day stretch from here.”

She lazily tapped the tip of her knife at the area in mention, reminding him that he should be paying attention to something other than bothering his redheaded companion.

He hummed thoughtfully, rubbing the patch of hair on his chin. “That’s awfully close to Meridian.”

The man sitting beside him laughed and he trained his gaze on the burly man. He had been the one to deposit the map upon the table, having made many marks and notes upon the torn canvas. It was an older map, much to Nil dissatisfaction; it was missing several outpost locations and many bandit camps that had been previously cleared into settlements. He was almost tempted to mark them himself, out of sheer narcissism.

“The Sun-King ain’t done nothin’ ‘bout it, either. Just lets ‘em do whatever they want,” the man chuckled. Wasn’t his name Jahn? Or something close to that.

“Do you know their numbers?” Aloy asked, twirling her knife between her two pointer fingers. She seemed unfazed by the blade poking into her finger, drawing a dot of red.

Nil didn’t need to know their numbers, as it was part of the thrill – the not knowing what could or would come – yet Aloy was always curious for answers to even the smallest of things. Such a curious, wanderlust, girl. He liked watching her talk, how she asked questions with a drawl that was all her own.

Jahn – by the sun, that _had_ to be his name – hummed and hawed, scratching at the wiry beard that grew in patches along his chin and jaw. He had a gruff face that even a mother wouldn’t kiss, with eyes bloodshot from perhaps alcohol abuse or lack of sleep. Maybe both.

“I’d say about thirty of ‘em,” he finally said.

Aloy turned her hazel gaze Nil’s way. Though the look she gave him would have been perceived as passive by anyone else, he knew that she was telling him she doubted there was _only_ thirty. Especially with the size of the camp.

“How many hostages have they taken?” she asked this without looking at Jahn, twisting her blade around her hand and instead putting her focus there. Nil loved how threatening she looked while doing something so casual. She even spoke with the ease of someone who didn’t seem to care about the conversation at hand.

It was all a ploy. It always was.

“’Bout seven or so.” Jahn frowned, pursing his lips. His bald head nearly glistened in the light of the fire that sat behind him, highlighting the sweat that clung to his skin. Somehow, he was both crusty and slimy. “Not sure. We don’t come this way often. Last I heard, they grabbed a girl and ‘er mother. Poor saps.”

Aloy showed her first sign of emotion in the form of her upper lip pulling up at one corner, a disgusted sneer that showed the whites of her teeth. Teeth that had once ripped the throat out of a man while in the heat of battle. Even weaponless, the young woman was a powerful force.

“Poor indeed,” she hissed. “They must be so _thankful_ that everyone is doing everything they can to rescue them.”

Her sarcasm was as sharp as her blade and the man stiffened as if he had been stabbed. She kept him there with her gaze, eyes unforgiving and accusing. She had a soft spot for mothers and any ill that came to them would be met with her anger.

Jahn raised his hands. “Listen, I’m no mercenary. That’s someone else’s job.”

“It always is, huh?” Aloy sneered as she pushed herself up. She seemed done with the whole interaction and Nil’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. She usually didn’t get _this_ upset over something like this.

Without acknowledging Jahn further, Nil stood from his spot as well and followed after Aloy. He watched her walk into the forest, apparently wanting to leave the camp behind. That was fine. He would prefer to camp away from them anyway. He could never sleep when there were so many people around – though that camp had only consisted of five people in total.

Once they were a distance away from the camp, he swung an arm over her shoulders, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Someone is in a mood.”

She shoved his arm away with a huff. “Am not.”

“You scared a poor helpless man,” he said, attempting to sound disappointed. The amused lilt to his voice destroyed it, though.

“I’m just tired.”

“Of what?” He raised an eyebrow curiously, sensing that her words meant something more than just the physical sense of exhaustion. Well, no, he _knew_. But he liked hearing her say the things that were on her mind.

She released a loud sigh that sounded as if she had held the breath within her chest for quite some time. “Are we the only ones who ever do shit? Is the Sun-King really that useless to not take care of all these kidnappings? It seems endless.”

“Aw, do you really want it to stop?” He resisted the urge to throw his arm around her shoulders again, if only to tease her. Perhaps now wasn’t the time for that. “Come now. You would miss the feeling of blood on your skin.”

Aloy pressed her lips into a thin line, staring ahead as they walked. Her hands were clenched into fists. He knew she wasn’t going to answer, because he was right. He wasn’t always right, but in this case, he certainly was. They were one in the same; both craved the destruction of the corrupt. They enjoyed watching the life drain from the eyes of those who allowed themselves to exist in filth.

He reached out and brushed his fingertips across her jaw. “Aloy,” he said, voice gentle. “This is not about the bandits, is it? Be truthful.”

She stopped, turning to face him. “It’s nothing to worry about. It’s just stress. Probably because it’s been a while since our last bandit camp.”

Nil chuckled, patting her cheek in a playful manner. She swatted his hand away and he smirked. “Do not worry. We will have ourselves a blood fest soon. Keep your thoughts on the kill, the hunt, and your thoughts will not sour.”

He began walking forward, leaving her with that. She could decide what she wanted to do with his words, whether it be to ignore them or to heed his advice. She always did do whatever she wanted. That was why he lov-

“Thank you.”

Turning, he looked over his shoulder at her. She was trailing behind, her mouth twisted to the side as she kicked a pebble forward. One corner of his lips tugged up into a smile that revealed some of his teeth. She returned the smile.

It wasn’t often that she said those words. But when she did, it meant something. He did not take it for granted. Not once. Not ever.

“Come on, Nora. Let us find a place to set camp.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick chapter to sort of stretch my fingers and get this story rolling. I have too many headcanons for this to wait until after I finish _Fractures_. So I'm gonna try juggling two stories at once. *Cracks knuckles*


	3. Morning Affairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nil dreams about the past and has lighthearted conversation with Aloy.

_“No, like this.” Nil bowed to the tiny redhead, swooping one of his arms out while the other came in to press his hand against his chest. He wasn’t the best at dancing, but he was determined to teach his little companion, simply because she had demanded it. He could deny her nothing. “You would bow your head and curtsy.”_

_“That’s stupid,” she giggled. Her short red hair was pulled back in a high ponytail that bristled in the breeze coming in from the west, and it bounced when she moved. She curtsied the best she could with the length of her shirt. “I like doing the boy part more.”_

_Nil chuckled, pressing his hand against hers as they moved into the next part. Their hands stayed flat, thumbs curled around the other’s hand. They did a slow turn, keeping their eyes on each other. For an eleven-year-old, Aloy was rather tentative. He admired that._

_“I refuse to play the part of the woman.” A smirk tugged at his lips. “Besides, you’re shorter.”_

_“That’s stupid,” she repeated with a huff. She wasn’t too bothered, though. The fact that he was willing to teach her to dance in the midst of the desert, with a storm threatening and the clouds crackling with thunder, meant more to her than she would ever admit._

_Nil gave a small shrug. “It is,” he agreed as he pulled her closer, dipping her before she could stop him. Still, it had her breaking into giggles, much like he had hoped. Her laughter and smiles were two of his favorite things._

_They danced for a few moments longer, Nil correcting her on mistakes and showing her the proper way to do the Carja dance. It was one of the more playful ones that was usually done between younger people. Perhaps that was why he knew it so well. He wasn’t much older than her; while she was eleven, he was sixteen. The two had been together for seven years, finding companionship after their first discovery of each other._

_They were as thick as thieves._

_“Okay,” Nil said after a bit, panting for breath as he placed his hands on his knees, steadying himself. She was getting the hang of this faster than he would have thought. “We need to continue moving, Babygirl.”_

_Aloy playfully punched him against the bicep. “Weakling. Are you sure you can walk now?”_

_He rolled his eyes at her tease. “Yes. I’m sure I can.”_

_She laughed, the sound rolling from her chest with ease. She turned away from him to grab her bag, which was propped up against a large rock next to his. She pulled her bow onto her back, securing it into place with the strap, before starting forward. She didn’t wait for him and he found himself rolling his eyes again._

_He grabbed his own belonging and hoisted them onto his shoulders. They had quite a walk ahead of them and neither had wanted to commit to it just yet. It was getting later in the day, though, and they would need to get a move on if they expected to make it anywhere safe before the storm hit. It looked like it was going to be a heavy one._

_“Hey, slow down!” Nil called after her, laughing. “An old man like me can only go so fast!”_

_She looked over her shoulder at him, sticking out her tongue. He could only smile back until he saw something ahead, coming from behind a rock formation._

_He parted his lips to say something, eyes wide as he recognized the Carja guard, but he was unable to warn her before one of the men ahead shot something towards them. Their screams filled the air as they fell and Nil could just barely make out Aloy’s form as he violently spasmed._

_Electricity sparked through them as the two writhed on the ground, the bomb having taken up fifteen feet of the vicinity. It had them clenching their teeth through their screams of agony._

_It seemed to last an eternity before the electricity died down, rendering them motionless. Nil tried to fight the urge to pass out from the sudden exhaustion that washed over him, his muscles still twitching._

_Rolling onto his side, he groaned out his pain, squinting through the dust that swam in the air, stinging his eyes and making them water. He heard footsteps approaching, but all he could do was attempt to pull himself closer to Aloy._

_She was laying on her belly, her cheek pressed against the sandy ground. Tears had run down the side of her face, making streaks in the dirt that now covered her skin. She wasn’t conscious and Nil felt his heart jump in a new panic._

_He reached out, but moving was much too painful. It burned his muscles, yet he felt numb all at the same time, as if he had never used his limbs._

_A foot slammed down onto his arm, stopping him from continuing to pull himself forward. He grunted, gritting his teeth. Rolling his eyes up towards the man above him, he found unforgiving silver eyes. He recognized the man, though he never thought he would ever see him this close. A legend, a threat. The Sun-King’s Terror of the Sun._

_With a swing of his leg, the large man slammed his foot into the side of Nil’s head. Instantly, Nil found nothing but blackness._

* * *

 

Nil’s eyes fluttered open, a breath leaving him in the form of a sigh. His hands were resting atop his chest and he wasn’t sure when he had fallen asleep. Sometime after Aloy had, he knew. He had listened to her gentle breathing for a long time, reminiscing on their past. That was never a good thing to do before sleeping. It only brought him nightmares that soured his mind and made him feel sick to his stomach.

He rolled his head to the side, finding Aloy sitting at the fire. She was sipping at a cup of tea, gazing out at the surrounding forest. However, upon him moving, her eyes instantly flickered to him. It took a few seconds before a smile flickered across her lips.

“Morning,” she chirped.

He pushed himself up, scratching at the back of his head. “You’re in a better mood,” he stated plainly, stretching his legs out in front of him.

“I slept well,” she admitted before taking a sip of her tea. She eyed him, though her expression was unreadable. “You don’t look like you did, though. You were mumbling in your sleep again.”

Standing, he moved over to the fire and sat down beside her, nudging her shoulder with his own as he began to make himself some tea. The caffeine helped when he felt this groggy-brained. She elbowed him in the side, though it was far gentler than it usually would have been.

“I dreamt of Helis,” he said, sounding casual despite the direction the conversation had taken.

Aloy made no comment, instead continuing to drink her tea. Perhaps it was best to let the subject drop anyway. Neither of them liked discussing the man, nor the reason behind their involvement with him.

“We’re a few miles from the bandit camp,” Aloy said instead, changing the subject as if it had never existed. “I scanned an alcove where we can store our belongings during the attack.”

He gave a nod, pouring hot water into his wooden mug, where the tea leaves were pressed into the bottom. “You always over prepare.”

She didn’t say anything to this, because she knew he was right. She always did. While he was more comfortable with going in blind, she preferred to have some sort of plan. Even if it was just knowing where they could stash their stuff while they cleared a camp.

“We should go hunting tonight,” she hummed.

“I’m assuming you mean the non-human variety. _Boring_.”

She looked at him with narrowed eyes before slamming her elbow into his side. “Unless you intend to start eating humans too, I suggest we hunt. But we can do that _after_ we clear the camp.”

He gave a loud sigh and an exaggerated roll of his eyes. She wanted to elbow him again, but knew it would do little good. He was egging her on anyway.

Standing from her spot, she went to her belongings, crouching down to dig through her clothes. The weather was getting warmer and warmer, making her uncomfortable. Nil could take her from the Nora, but he couldn’t take the Nora from _her_. She often very much disliked the hot weather of the Sundom, though she would never complain about it.

During the summer months, she’d wear clothes that were more similar to Nil’s, exposing her abdomen and thighs. Sashes of blood red would cover her breasts and hips, plating of the whitest machines covering her shoulders, arms, and shins. They looked like a match made by the sun, when she wore those clothes. Fated twins ready for the slaughter of evil.

They especially looked like a pair when they stood back to back, covered in the blood of their enemies, with knives drawn and grins on their faces.

She began to change into her lighter outfit now and Nil turned his gaze away from her out of respect. He took a sip of his tea, watching the flames of the fire flicker in front of him as he listened to the rustle of fabric and the _ting_ of metal as she strapped it into place.

“Don’t forget to put on that salve that protects your _sensitive_ skin from the sun,” he called, only to hear her huff out a curse. “You forgot to buy more, didn’t you?”

“It wasn’t on the top of my to-do list,” she grunted as she finished securing her belt, patting down her herb pouches. “I was concerned with other things.”

Nil twisted his mouth to the side in a manner that showed he wasn’t completely convinced, turning to look at her. She threw a sandal at him, to which he deflected with his arm, protecting his mug of tea from her attack.

“I did not realize I still needed to baby you and make sure you had the supplies you need,” he mocked before taking a sip of his tea, almost in show that he had saved it from being spilled.

She flipped him off with both hands, her lips twisted in disapproval. She knew he was just messing with her again, but she didn’t have a sufficient comeback this time.

“Okay, that’s fair.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “But don’t come crying to me when you’re all blistered from the Sun’s unforgiving nature.”

“Do I ever?” she challenged with a sing-song lilt to her voice. She walked over to him to fetch her sandal, kneeling down to fasten it to her foot.

He reached out to ruffle up her hair. “Best tie up your hair too.”

“Yes, _mother._ ” She snickered before dancing away from him as he attempted to smack her arm. Her laughter filled the air as he pouted, hunching over his tea as if she had wounded him. All fun and games. It always was. Still, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail atop her head, holding it there with her hands while sashaying her hips in a show-off manner. “Like this?”

One could practically _hear_ Nil roll his eyes, the motion more exaggerated than usual. “At this rate, we’ll never get going.”

She laughed again, but adjusted her hair, pulling it into a normal ponytail, though still keeping it relatively high so that it kept the long locks off her shoulders. She tied a ribbon around it to hold it in place.

Nil admired the dusting of freckles along her exposed shoulders and back before she began to put on her arm armor, covering them up. He tore his gaze away, finishing his tea. Time to put his own armor on.

His mind was still lingering on his nightmare, making his smile fall. He dumped his tea out on the fire, watching the leaves sizzle against the coals. “Aloy,” he said, voice eerily quiet.

She lifted her head from what she was doing, stopping in the midst of strapping an armguard on. “Yes?”

“Be careful today.”

Aloy made a face, finding the comment absurd, especially coming from him. He _hated_ being safe. This was all about the thrill, after all. Being safe just added stress and killed the fun of it all. The comment was so unlike him. “Are you okay?”

He wouldn’t look at her, staring at the fire instead. His expression was unreadable. “Just be safe,” he repeated.

She watched him for a few seconds, wishing he would tell her why he was saying this, but she knew it was a lost cause to even bother asking. So she nodded, turning her gaze away from him as she finished buckling on her armor. “Okay. I’ll be safe.”

Flexing her fingers, all she saw was the onslaught of murder that she would inflict on this day. It made a smirk tug at her lips, even if she knew she was lying to her friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter, but the next is gonna be longer because bandit camps and stuffffff. Just wanted to get in a little bit more of their character dynamics in this fic real quick. I'm enjoying this a lot, actually.  
> 
> 
> Also, Nil's and Aloy's backgrounds are _drastically_ different from canon (though we still don't really know Nil's story in canon either). Because of her life with Nil, Aloy's a lot more playful and flirty, but also sorta bloodthirsty like him. So yeahhhh.... Bear with me! I promise this is gonna be fun. :)


End file.
